Teacher: HDB Kids Are WEAK & LAZY!

[makapaaa]

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Sep 21, 2009
EDUCATING CHILDREN
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Parents' aspirations for kids play big part
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->MR VISAKAN Veerasamy highlighted in 'Better performers' last Saturday the statistical edge children in private housing have over the average HDB dweller.
As a former school teacher, enrichment programme founder, tuition centre owner and creator of problemsums.com, I would like to present another point of view - parents' aspirations for their children.
First, the stress threshold. Academic stress is inevitable in modern society. However, HDB-dwelling students seem to have a lower threshold.
I used to think the academic lapse of lower-income students stemmed from lack of access to quality academic programmes. Hence my tuition, enrichment and website enrolment were at special concession (or even free) for the financially challenged.
After years of dealing with students and parents from different social strata, a sad fact dawned on me. More often than not, the determinant to academic support lies not in financial capability, but in the stress threshold of students, which is set by parents.
'Too much school work', 'My child is too tired', 'I don't want too much pressure for my child' are, by and large, voices from lower-income parents. Also, most parents who prefer their children to 'rest after exams' are HDB dwellers, while parents in private housing believe in regular practice, even during school holidays.
From my experience, lower-income parents seem to set a lower stress threshold for their children, compared to parents in private housing.
Second, this stress threshold is closely related to parents' aspirations for their children, which is generally linked to their own profession.
Doctors, lawyers and engineers have higher aspirations for their offspring than hawkers and cleaners.

=> Is this not clear enough of the family's income connection to a kid's academic success?

A convenient view of 'doctor parents producing doctor children' is that it is genetically linked.
As an educator, I believe academic achievement, at the primary school level at least, is largely driven by nurture rather than nature. If the aspiration patterns of parents do not change, doctors will continue to produce doctor children.
Our education system is fair. Should one day the income disparity broaden and elitism breed, don't blame the system.
Ken Tai

Told u umpteenth time that the Peasants' have poor genes oready! Time to reward people like Ken Thigh for such good news! *Ouch*​

 

[makapaaa]

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Gifted scheme too early to spot talent
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->LIKE Madam Teo Suang Sim ('Unfair advantage?', last Tuesday), I have doubts about investing our tax dollars and expensive teachers in young children perceived to be gifted.
A child born later in the year may have trouble understanding certain maths problems in the middle of the year, but find them easy at the end of the year, compared to a child born earlier in the year.
Also, at this tender educational age, girls are generally academically more able than boys in English.
Children from low-income families are most likely to be unable to show their 'giftedness' since they may have limited exposure to vocabulary and training in maths at a higher level. So how is the gifted programme relevant to them?
Finally, families that can afford the steep tuition fees, send their children to coaching lessons that promise to take them past the first stage of the two-stage test. So are their children more gifted?
As for Mr David Goh's letter last Tuesday, 'Beware of breeding elitism', my elder son will sit for his Primary School Leaving Examination next month. At first, we were happy to let him continue his secondary school education in the same school. But we changed our minds after other parents advised us to send him to a secondary school that is affiliated to a junior college, or he would have a harder time securing a place in a JC.
Meritocracy in the education system may not work as well now. Years ago, when tuition was not a trend, most students who were naturally gifted academically were likely to do better than the rest in exams, regardless of whether they were from well-to-do or low-income families.
Now, genuinely gifted students whose parents cannot afford external help will not be spotted and developed.
Heng Chay Hiang (Ms)

 

[Lee5604]

That is why old man Lee has given (through the PSC) double scholarships to all his children, Lee Hsien Loong and Lee Hsien Yang were both awarded the President's and SAF Overseas Merit Scholarship. Is there a need to award two scholarships to the same person for the same course of study? His daughter too was awarded the President's Scholarship and the PSC Merit Scholarship at the same time.

The old man Lee thinks that there are no one better than his genes, so better give them double scholarships than go to waste!

 

[MarrickG]

A teacher in a neighourhood school once told me, "Dun expect too much from the students of a neighourhood school, as long as not too many of them fail, it is fine with the school. No need to push them too much, that is why it is a neighourhood school."

 

[SotongMee]

Standard are set for balanced childhood in such schools. Don't misread the teacher.

At least the Heartlander kids has some play and time for an enjoyable chldhood by their parent's choice.

Parents who send their children to neighbourhood schools are the best parents in SG because they are kind to their children and hope that they have a good childhood.

Teachers in such schools are more kind and caring too. Some schools has handicapped and disadvantaged children with them-very humane.

There are actually many positive down to earth goodness about the humble neighbourhood school, majority of the teacher population are Singaporeans.

A teacher in a neighourhood school once told me, "Dun expect too much from the students of a neighourhood school, as long as not too many of them fail, it is fine with the school. No need to push them too much, that is why it is a neighourhood school."

 

[stardies]

childhood is more important:(

 

[SotongMee]

Yes I grew up in a crazy educational system geared for meritocracy, elitism and the rat race. Had "lost" my childhood there...:o

My children deserves better, a better childhood to do what they like to do in the later part of their lives.

So a less demanding neighbourhood school is the right choice.

childhood is more important:(

 

[TeeKee]

does it mean nobel prize winners stayed in landed properties?

 

[angry_one]

Having spent 3 months in an 'elite JC' long ago, i can confirm that elite schools are boiling kettles of stress. Almost every day, the principal or teachers will lecture students about working harder and staying on top. God forbid, if the school ranking drops, everyone will get a 1-hour scolding during assembly!

That said, i also believe that most HDB estates are inconducive for breeding thinkers and talents. That's something I notice as I grow up and become more impatient with living conditions here. They are confined, noisy, dirty and you may get crazy neighbours.

Compare this with a good condo situated in a quiet neighbourhood amit lush greenery. When you feel good about your surroundings, you work better. No wonder sinkees pay through their ass for overpriced condos and houses.

 

[1sickpuppy II]

Standard are set for balanced childhood in such schools. Don't misread the teacher.

At least the Heartlander kids has some play and time for an enjoyable chldhood by their parent's choice.

Parents who send their children to neighbourhood schools are the best parents in SG because they are kind to their children and hope that they have a good childhood.

Teachers in such schools are more kind and caring too. Some schools has handicapped and disadvantaged children with them-very humane.

There are actually many positive down to earth goodness about the humble neighbourhood school, majority of the teacher population are Singaporeans.

Err is that why there are not many ministers from neighbourhood schools?

 

[ashjaw]

I don't agree with the original poster.
"Doctors, lawyers and engineers have higher aspirations for their offspring than hawkers and cleaners."
Isn't this discrimination? How can an educator make this kind of comments? He is already pre-judging his students before he even give them any chance. All parents have high aspirations for their offspring, it has nothing to do with their occupation.

Good schools can have bad teachers, Neighbourhood schools can have good teachers, it all depends on your luck.

 

[SotongMee]

I don't have the intelligence to answer your very deep question.

Err is that why there are not many ministers from neighbourhood schools?

 

[SotongMee]

I kept selling students of elite JC dozing off and sleeping on public transport on their way home after school.

Yes, it must have been crazily stressful for the students-a price they pay for joining the ranks of "elites".

Having spent 3 months in an 'elite JC' long ago, i can confirm that elite schools are boiling kettles of stress. Almost every day, the principal or teachers will lecture students about working harder and staying on top. God forbid, if the school ranking drops, everyone will get a 1-hour scolding during assembly!

 

[SotongMee]

Raffles Institution was once a neighbourhood school was SG was the size of town.

Err is that why there are not many ministers from neighbourhood schools?

 

[SIFU]

Raffles Institution was once a neighbourhood school was SG was the size of town.

I don't have the intelligence to understand your very deep english.

 

[Wang Ye]

I don't have the intelligence to understand your very deep english.

(using fake Ang Mo slang ) My dear fellow I believe he meant to say that RI was once considered a neighbourhood school too, when Singapore was just a town.

 

[SIFU]

(using fake Ang Mo slang ) My dear fellow I believe he meant to say that RI was once considered a neighbourhood school too, when Singapore was just a town.

that part i figure out..

it is this "was SG was the size of town" which i catch no ball

thanks for your effort anyway.

 

[pocoyo]

By squeezing most of the population into HDB flat, no nobel prize winner will ever be produced in this red dot..

 

[SotongMee]

Sorry did not write properly...

Raffles Institution was once a neighbourhood school during the time when SG city was the size of a town.

that part i figure out..

it is this "was SG was the size of town" which i catch no ball

thanks for your effort anyway.

 

[Watchman]

This is an interesting topic to discuss.